Position #2—Observer (dissociated, seeing reality, including
you and the other person, from the outside)
Position #3—Other person (dissociated from yourself, but asso-
ciated into the other person’s perspective)Perceptual Position #1: Associated
In position #1, you experience an event through your own eyes.
(This is also referred to as being associated.) In this position you
see the pictures, hear the sounds, and feel the feeling of the event.
PERCEPTUALPOSITION#1 EXERCISE
This exercise demonstrates to you what you already experience
consciously. Do this exercise now. Do not wait. This is very im-
portant in building your sensory acuity.
Recall a pleasurable event. As you remember that event, see it through
your own eyes. Make sure you hear any sounds associated with that expe-
rience. Now check your feelings. Are they there? If you are looking
through your own eyes, you should be able to feel the feelings you experi-
enced. If you see your body, you are not associated. Make sure that you
can experience the event associated.
Let’s try another one. Remember a time when you were totally moti-
vated. Float down into that time, and be fully associated seeing the experi-
ence through your own eyes. Make sure to add any sounds to your
experience. Do you feel totally motivated?
Perceptual Position #2: Dissociated
In position #2, you experience the event from an observer’s point
of view. (This is the dissociated position.) When you are dissociated,
you see your own body in the event as an observer would. This posi-
tion is useful because it removes emotions that are attached to the
event. This way you can evaluate the situation for effective behavior.
PERCEPTUALPOSITION#2 EXERCISE
Now think of a time when you had a mildly unpleasant experi-
ence, such as an argument with someone. See the experience
through your own eyes, hear the sounds, and feel the feelings as-
sociated with that experience. How do you feel? Probably not so good re-
living that experience.
Now step out of your body; see yourself and the other person in the
Perceptual Position #2: Dissociated 195